A mother in Sylvania, Georgia turned herself into police earlier this month, after a warrant for her arrest was issued due to her son’s school absences. Julie Giles, 42, was arrested and placed in ankle shackles because her 10-year-old son Samuel had 12 unexcused absences from school. Giles is … [Read more...]
A Belly Full of Poison
Acute appendicitis is very common. In fact, it's the most commonly encountered disease in emergency clinics with about 250,000 appendectomies performed in the United States each year. Actually, "appies" (as the hospital staff refer to them) are so common that there's even a joke about them: Q: … [Read more...]
Surprise! That Time My Child Almost Died
It all started with a tummy ache. Not a terribly bad tummy ache -- enough to miss school -- but not enough to worry me just yet. A little later on, I turned to Facebook for advice instead of commiseration: At this point, everyone (myself included) thought she was the victim of a … [Read more...]
A Little Tenderness
My father died this week after a long battle with dementia. It is many things I am coming to understand; painful, surreal, a blessing, darkness, light, a terrible sadness, a relief. When I understood he was gone, I felt a feeling I had never felt before. I felt my shoulders go up and down. … [Read more...]
October: Down, But Not Out.
October and I used to be better friends back in the day. I gave up on September some years ago, because she tends to have this muther running in all directions, kicking my ass at every turn, but, et tu, Octobre?! Between this never-ending brick job, and a new case of head lice to manage, an … [Read more...]
The Man Cold
I've always said that I'd take 3 sick children over 1 sick husband. The past 2 days have reinforced that opinion. I looked up the definition of a man cold and found the one that was most suitable for my man: A man cold is found exclusively upon the Y chromosome. This particular strand of … [Read more...]
I am his favourite
I have been thinking about my best friend's dad a lot this summer as he has been unwell. I have been thinking about the debt of gratitude I owe him for raising my best friend. I have been thinking about all the things he has said to me that have stuck so hard with me. "Is the girls' dad … [Read more...]
Yes, we need to let our children fail
A friend of mine posted this article on her facebook page and I thought I would jump for joy! Finally! Somebody who thought like I did and wasn't afraid to say it! Even funnier was the fact that just a few days ago I had sat down and started to write a post about this very issue!Being a … [Read more...]
Christmas, 8 kids, and the vomit fest!
It never fails, as soon as the holiday season approaches someone comes down wth something. Typically during the final week of school the children start getting stuffy or runny noses, coughs, and sore throats and beg me if they can stay home. I am a monster though and unless my child has … [Read more...]
The Softness of Skin
I hold her hands while sitting gingerly on the side of her bed. I'm wary of crushing her as I lean over to kiss her on both cheeks. She smells the same. Her eyes are the bluest they've ever been. We chat quietly... she'd like some decorations around the windows for Christmas. Blue and white. … [Read more...]